Florida State 33, Michigan 32
Dalvin Cook lived up to his billing. [Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog]
Sometimes you make it a game despite yourself and the human lightning bolt that is Dalvin Cook and then a freshman receiver who looks like a tight end turns a dumb play into a game-swinging kickoff return and a 5'11" guy beats Jourdan Lewis for a touchdown because sure why not and a series of improbable events occur and a laugher turns into a heartbreaker.
For most of the game, Florida State showed why Michigan is on the wrong side of the playoff bubble. Michigan's offense couldn't overcome a shaky offensive line to put any sort of consistent attack together, mustering only 83 first-half yards. Florida State's couldn't either but for the notable exception of Cook. The future Pro Bowl running back had 141 yards and a score on 16 touches. Nyqwan Murray exploited a busted coverage for a 92-yard touchdown. The rest of the FSU offense had 22 yards on 17 plays. The Seminoles held a 20-6 lead at halftime.
Neither team did much of anything in the third quarter until Kenny Allen, for seemingly the umpteenth time, backed up FSU deep in their own territory with 1:12 left in the quarter. Facing second-and-ten from his own eight-yard line, quarterback Deondre Francois rolled right to escape pressure and threw a pass directly to Mike McCray, who ended his short trip down the sideline with a dive into the end zone to make it 20-15. Michigan had pulled within a score for the first time since the opening quarter, setting up one of the wildest finishes of this college football season.
Chris Evans, flying. [Fuller]
Cook once again pulled the game almost out of reach, breaking a 71-yard run on third-and-22 to set up a three-yard touchdown run by his backup, Jacques Patrick. After the teams traded punts, Wilton Speight capitalized on great field position with a third-and-goal touchdown pass to Khalid Hill. The Wolverines returned to the end zone less than four minutes later, forcing a three-and-out before Chris Evans juke-posterized an FSU safety on a 30-yard touchdown scamper. Before you could say "Captain America," Michigan had taken a 30-27 lead.
The ensuing kickoff looked as innocuous as could be. FSU freshman Keith Gavin fielded Allen's boot a couple yards deep in the end zone, surveyed the field, and paused. In football, when you pause on a kickoff return, you kneel for a touchback. That is the only play. Except for this play. This play, Gavin belatedly took off despite the protestations of fellow return man Kermit Whitfield, burst through a tackle, and was finally dragged down 66 yards later by Jourdan Lewis.
The winning touchdown. [Fuller]
Cook got the Seminoles to the 12-yard line on a screen pass. Two plays later, Murray rose over Lewis to haul in the go-ahead touchdown. As if this game wasn't frantic enough, Michigan blocked the extra point and Josh Metullus, filling in for an injured Jabrill Peppers, brought it all the way back for two points. With 36 seconds left, down a point, Michigan had the opportunity to give this meandering game one final twist.
Instead, the Seminoles held strong, intercepting a desperation fourth-and-ten heave by Speight forced by instant—perhaps too instant—pressure by DeMarcus Walker.
It may be coachspeak cliché, but it's true: Florida State made more plays. The better team, at least tonight, won the game. Cook showed Michigan what they lack: an offensive playmaker that makes opponents sigh with relief every time the ball goes elsewhere. That, or an elite quarterback, can overcome a porous offensive line. The Wolverines had neither.
Maybe next year.
December 31st, 2016 at 2:08 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 2:17 AM ^
November and December have been tough months the last two years.
There are glaring deficiencies on this team that have created losses. Lets hope it gets settled.
December 31st, 2016 at 2:25 AM ^
That is because we play good teams in Nov and Dec. Let's be honest, we were feasting on the pathetic Rutgers / Illinois / Maryland type teams the rest of the year.
Bad teams have a way of making merely good teams look like great teams.
We were not a great team.
December 31st, 2016 at 12:04 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 2:23 AM ^
All of this to say: 2016 M was not a national championship caliber team. So while it sucks to lose to FSU, it doesn't really matter. 2018 will be our year.
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December 31st, 2016 at 8:58 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 2:27 AM ^
Look at the bright side, whoever loses the Ohio State - Clemson game tomorrow is going to feel a whole shitload worse than we do now. And we feel miserable.
December 31st, 2016 at 2:30 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 12:11 PM ^
Clemson will feel worse. Two years losing in the playoff would have to feel like we did when the Fab Five lost in the title in '92 and '93.
I don't know about OSU though. They're only two years removed from a national title and I think they they know, deep down, they aren't that good this year.
December 31st, 2016 at 3:08 AM ^
He played very well. Losing Pepper beforehand was a major blow, but overall we didn't give up, and kept our heads in the game. They made two more plays that we did and that's the difference.
In the end, we were only going as far as our O-line could take us, and when we lost Newsome that wasn't far enough.
I thik we'll take a major step back next year in terms of quality of play - losing all the guys we do makes it hard to avoid - but we're still on the right track.
December 31st, 2016 at 10:24 AM ^
Dalvin Cook is a NFL man playing amongst college boys. He is their offense.
December 31st, 2016 at 3:43 AM ^
Charlton had a great game (outside of the first play of the game). I hope others took notice, because I don't feel like the announcers did.
December 31st, 2016 at 4:17 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 8:56 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 9:23 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 9:57 AM ^
The crazy thing about ohio is that Meyer walked into a national caliber program. Liar, Liar had his kids in three national championship games and won one of them. Sure, he took over after the dismal season of Fickle but all of the elements were there. Jim came into a program which had been devastated, dismantled, and downtrodden for seven years.
January 1st, 2017 at 8:44 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 10:31 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 11:30 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 12:20 PM ^
We need to stop with the OSU comparisons. OSU was a national title contender for virtually all of Tressel's tenure (2001-10). Then he was fired, some guys got suspended and Luke Fickell did his Luke Fickell thing for a year, which was fun to watch - but it was a fluke. Their team was still full of Tressel recruits who had recently experienced success when Meyer came in.
Michigan was not in the same place when Harbaugh was hired. We'd gone 46-42 the previous seven years. It sucks - hard - that we lost three games this year. But we are still massively improved from where we were and there's no reason to doubt we can take the next step.
December 31st, 2016 at 7:52 PM ^
What are you talking about? Please name multiple examples outside of OSU (a situation where Urban was inhereting a Jim Tressel recruit filled team).
Saban 7-6, 12-2, 14-0
Fisher 10-4, 9-4, 12-2
Dabo 9-5, 6-7, 10-4
Peterson 8-6, 7-6, 12-2
Harbugh took a 5-7 team and immediately went 10-3 and 10-3. What absurd standards do you have that this is not a solid turn around so far?
December 31st, 2016 at 9:53 AM ^
I don't think that PANIC is the right word, rather some were drawn in by the improbable early performance and hype. Those who call for Harbaugh's head are just insane, but great teams find ways of winning in spite of their flaws. We're just not there, yet.
December 31st, 2016 at 6:08 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 6:50 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 10:16 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 1:43 PM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 8:14 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 10:50 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 8:16 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 9:04 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 10:15 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 8:37 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 8:53 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^
It took Harbaugh 4 years at Stanford to create a national caliber team while he's managed to craft good seasons with Hoke's players in two (his first two years at Stanford were dismal and that was Pac-10). Hopefully the boat is slowly righting. Right now we're not an elite power 5 team and perhaps many of us were deceived by the hype and meteoric start of this team? The signs were there, we had too many holes - OL, RB, QB and the lack of real playmakers. At least Kenny Allen and Taco Charlton saw huge developmental improvements and hopefully our recruiting efforts will pay off. I remain cautiously optimistic.
December 31st, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 9:42 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 10:17 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 10:20 AM ^
I enjoy the content from both the blog writers and users. I'm not always compelled to share my opinion, as I'm either taking a quick pass through the app or just don't have anything meaningful to contribute. I wish others used the same discretion to keep content at a high level.
That said, I'm not sure which low pointer comments you're referring to, so I'll generally say that yesterday's game exposed our team. I don't think it's fair to say the team is "shitty" - it isn't - but it's also not elite. It's ok to say so.
Low pointers are people too. Please don't stereotype us. It hurts our feelings.
December 31st, 2016 at 7:05 PM ^
two years before I joined. The Haloscan days were fun before the current blog showed up, then a year later I signed up. Us low point people can still add good input to the blog.
December 31st, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^
The AA got burned badly twice. Seemed like he got the big head and started to think he was a celebrity or something. Talked too much, like some kind of Hollywood actress. Should just shut up and play football.
December 31st, 2016 at 10:05 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 10:15 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 10:48 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 11:49 AM ^
Read the Free Press article on him. He's been making politically and racially charged comments and tweets all fall. BLM, Kapernic, said he's moving to Canada, and this gem:
“But real question... when was American great? Let's be honest, from my perspective it has never been.”
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverine…
Big mouth. Got burned and cost his team the game.
December 31st, 2016 at 12:44 PM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 1:30 PM ^
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